Posts Tagged: response

1. Will augmented reality incorporate social media and networking in the near future?

I think that augmented reality is going to huge in the future. Can you imagine having a room in your house completely devoted to gaming? You are in a virtual world the entire time you are in the room. I think that social media is growing and will continue to grow in the future. It is only a matter of time before social media is incorporated into augmented reality. Your avatar in the game will contain all of your information. This allows for tremendous networking opportunities. However, I think it also poses privacy issues with the release of private information. I think that some people do not understand how important it is to be selective of what you put online.

However, on the networking side. If augmented and virtual reality catch on the way the the predictions say it will, wouldn’t it be cool to be able to network with your potential employer in a virtual world? I think that it would be amazing to network in a gaming world. I think it cuts the edge off of meeting potential employers and going through the everyday questions. This could be a very impactful opportunity.

2. What hardware and software are required to participate in augmented reality? How advanced will this technology become in the future?

I think that the future in augmented reality will contain some pretty advanced technology. As I brought up previously, I think that augmented reality will be played in entire rooms in people’s households. I can imagine it would be the ultimate gaming experience. This technology would be extremely technical. I’m sure that the “geek squad” would have to be involved in installing it. haha. I can imagine wall-to-wall televisions, even the floor and ceilings would be involved in the game. I think this would be an amazing opportunity for the gamers to interact with. And what a great interactive media piece!!!

3. What privacy and ethical concerns arise with augmented reality?

I think that if social media is incorporated into augmented reality in the future, more privacy and ethical issues will arise. Nowadays, people just aren’t concerned with what kind of information they put online. Could there be fears of stalking involved in augmented reality? I think that it could be a possibility in the future, and this is a scary thing. I think more and more people are becoming involved with augmented and virtual reality; therefore, more privacy concern arise.

Having the pleasure of presenting about the future of augmented reality for this class, I like to think that I found in a little insight on the technology. In researching for the presentation, I downloaded several iPhone apps to see just how real augmented reality is. What we talk about in class is exciting and fascinating, but as the iTunes store showed me, those potentials just aren’t quite realized yet in the commercial market. The apps I demonstrate in class are pretty much the best I could find.

So why the hype if the tech really isn’t at Minority Report level yet? Are we really just so excited by AR that we will willingly pay for novelty and impractical apps? In my opinion, yes that’s exactly what AR is right now. Here’s your average tech life-cycle: concept, crappy applications of said concept, practical uses of the concept, media overexposure,  replaced by a new crappy application of another novelty concept.

For example, let’s look at video games and their use of motion technology. A few years ago, when the Wii was released, it was the big new thing. I would call GameStop everyday to see if they had a Wii in stock until I finally got one. This Fall has seen the release of Playstation’s Move and Xbox’s Kinect. The reason non-gamers probably haven’t heard of Move is because it’s really just a refined version of Wii for the PS3. But consider the Kinect. I haven’t played it, but from what I’ve seen, its really just a novelty. There’s no games really worth indulging more than a couple hours in. Yet, what is the big seller this holiday season?

So with AR, even though there’s not much use in it now, we’re all wowed by the possibility of where it could go. We try to get whatever taste of it we can, and we’re briefly amused by the novelties, and then we convince ourselves that it’ll totally be awesome next time. The catch is – by the time we get to “next time,” the novelty will have worn off and we won’t be quite as excited by it (while Move is certainly a technical upgrade from the Wii, nobody really seems to care…).

So as designers, how do we account for the fickleness of audiences when it comes to new technologies? Well, consider Apple. When they released the iPhone, it worked out of the box doing everything they said it could. They didn’t bother releasing it when the touch controls merely worked, they released them when the controls were perfect. So when people got their iPhones, there was no real sense of “oh hey, this is cool, but it’ll probably get better in the future.” No, the iPhone was already cool. And when it did get more features and applications, that was just another reason for the same users to repurchase another phone.

But too often, companies don’t have the restraint of Apple. They throw it out there because they want the profit margin now. As far as AR goes, we’ve already got our taste of what the tech can possibly be do. But as for me, I think I’ll wait until they manage to actually deliver what they’re selling.

Going into this week, I’ll be honest- I was a little skeptical about the legitimacy of augmented reality, especially since there seems to be an abundance of hype but a scarcity of execution in consumers’ day-to-day lives. But our Skyping session on Monday put my skepticism to rest. Whurley actually touched on many of the augmented reality-related issues that I was considering while writing my framing questions for the week.

With the limited knowledge on the subject that I possessed at the time, I wasn’t sure how augmented reality was being incorporated into various sectors of society, outside of the superficial sports broadcasting examples that were given on Wikipedia. We didn’t exactly touch on the ways that augmented reality is incorporated into educational methods (maybe because it hasn’t yet reached that sector?) but we did discuss how professional organizations are using these new technologies. For instance, the smartphone apps that allow users to scan the streets before them to locate the nearest gym, restaurant, drug store, etc almost give these local businesses free advertising, in a sense- albeit without any effort on the part of the local business.

Regarding less trivial matters, it was really interesting to hear about how the military is using augmented reality-enhanced devices for a variety of uses. We hear all the time that the military utilizes advanced technologies that are way ahead of the game, in terms of what’s available to the average citizen for everyday use… but it never fails to blow my mind that military personnel have been using augmented reality to protect our country for years before I, and probably many others, even knew such a concept existed. On the other hand, it was slightly alarming to find out that military officials in the United States can remotely control weapon detonations across the world with little more than the click of a button. Sure, the technology behind augmented reality seems to present many benefits- the military can carry out attacks without putting their lives in harms way. I also think that the power that is synonymous with such advanced technologies should be exercised with great care and control. Imagine the chaos that would ensue if our enemies had access to such tools. While new technologies such as augmented reality-based devices are certainly exciting, they also raise further questions involving appropriate uses that will only continue to benefit our society as a whole.

1. Will virtual worlds become even more advanced in the future? Will they incorporate social networking and will we be able to create our own avatars that look like us and have all of our information?

I think that virtual worlds will progressively become more advanced as our technology becomes more advanced. It is just a matter of time before social networking plays a big role in virtual worlds. In the future, I can see virtual worlds becoming so advanced, that it is like being in the real world. My fear is that people will take it that way. They will get so wrapped up in the virtual worlds that they forget to live their real lives. Could this lead to social problems and complications?

2. Could virtual worlds be a new way of advertising for companies with product placement? (i.e. Second Life)

I think that in the future advertising will take new ventures to promote their products. For example, social networking (i.e. Facebook) is already allowing companies to advertise in the side bars of the webpage. It is only a matter of time before the virtual worlds included advertising as well. For example, Coca-Cola could place coke cans throughout the virtual world as product placement. Of course the users are going to see the Coke can and that is further advertising for them.

3. Could there be privacy concerns, along with ethical concerns, with virtual worlds?

I am fearful that privacy is going to be a major issue in the future of Internet usage and gaming. I am already afraid to put any information about myself of social networking sites or the Internet in general. Virtual worlds will just be another place for the chance of identity theft, etc. I am also fearful that bullying could be a major concern with virtual worlds. Many issues could arise; however, I hope there are moderators that can help keep these incidences to a minimum.

In my first question this week, I asked how we can use virtual environments to teach, especially kids, valuable life lessons.  I think that the best way that we can use virtual environments for children is to teach them positive and healthy Internet and technology use.  Over the past few weeks, we have talked a lot about Internet addiction.  In the video we watched in class on Wednesday of the boy in England who was addicted to video games, the class consensus was, “Why isn’t the mother doing anything about this?”  I believe that using technology responsibly is an essential part of education today.  So, if that means your five year old daughter is allowed to play on Webkinz for 30 minutes a day, that could be a positive use of the virtual environment.  If children are taught from an early age to use virtual environments effectively and responsibly, perhaps the rate of technology addictions would decrease.

In my second question, I asked why companies sometimes put a lot of emphasis on metaverses instead of products in the real world.  I think that a company’s presence in a metaverse is first and foremost important advertising.  But, I also believe that the hype of real-world companies having a presence in virtual environment has not become as crucial as it was once thought.  For example, when Second Life came out, many thought that this was the future of advertising, commerce, the world, etc.  So, Coca-Cola, American Apparel, and many other businesses literally took up shop in Second Life.  However, many of them no longer inhabit Second Life, because the virtual environment did not rise to the popularity that was expected.

The third article talked about user security on Second Life.  It is very scary what can happen to people in virtual environments when they do not know what they are doing– and even sometimes when they are experienced users.  The story that I found most scary was about the avatars that lurk around places that people who only log on for business purposes, and lure them into other parts of the game.  Earlier, I spoke about technology education for children, but it is not enough to only teach children.  Everyone needs to know the tools and dangers of popular technological features so that they can remain safe.  Some people are scared of these technologies– this is not necessary if they are told how to use them.

You know, if this were more of a philosophy class, I could write on about how we all live “virtual worlds,” so to speak. But rather than get bogged down in discussing existentialism in an interactive media class, I think I’d like to speak about how virtual worlds aren’t as weird as we might initially speak. The key is in how we define “virtual worlds.” While Warcraft and Second Life are obvious answers, I think there are non-digital virtual worlds that get overlooked. To me, anyone who’s ever spent time reading a great book, or lost themselves in film, could be said to have spent some time in a virtual world. In my opinion, any deviation from direct human-to-human interaction could be considered a virtual world. Any flight of imagination, or narrative indulgence, brings a person to a different plane of existence that separates them from our traditional world. Whoops, I guess I couldn’t stop the Kierkegaard in me from getting out.

With this broader definition, I think we can analyze a lot of benefits to spending times in virtual worlds. While the documentary we watched seemed to focus exclusively on the negative aspects, such as addiction, associated with digital virtual worlds, they seemed to ignore any possible positive effect. Like almost anything on Earth, there are those who become addicted to virtual worlds. While I will not argue that this is not an issue, it is far from outweighing benefits of virtual worlds. Addiction is a personal problem, not a social one. Blame the player, not the game.

The primary value of virtual worlds, as I use them, is through entertainment. Whether through narratology or ludology, these worlds offer the user to escape from frustrations of every day life. You can battle a dragon, interact with users around the world, or simply observe the story of anyone imaginable. This escape, however, is what primarily feeds the aforementioned addiction. Its easy to get lost in a world that can gives players unparalleled power with (relatively) no real-world consequences. Like everything in life, moderation is the answer. And while entertainment may be considered trivial by many, virtual worlds offer a cathartic effect to relieve the tensions of everyday life.

But that isn’t always the case.  As almost any gamer would tell you, games are about challenge almost as much as entertainment. Many virtual worlds challenge players to solve problems. In presenting these challenges in a consequence-free environment, games in virtual worlds are an excellent way of pushing a player’s thought process and problem solving skills.

While virtual worlds do present many issues in regards to addiction and social isolation, there are almost many benefits, entertainment and puzzles among them. And in regards to more open-ended worlds like Second Life, these worlds allow users to experience social interaction in an entirely new and thought-provoking way. Just because they’re different from traditional communication modalities, doesn’t mean they’re invalid. The more diversity we can bring to life, whether through in a real or virtual world, the better.

Earlier in the week I proposed a question asking if there will ever be restrictions regarding virtual worlds since so many people are becoming addicted to them.  Following the class lecture today I am almost sure that restrictions on these games will never be created because, like so much else in our society, it’s about the money.

Why would people in China stop their gaming workshops?  They are creating products that aren’t real and in return, they are getting real money.  Furthermore, they are getting more money for their services in China than someone in America, doing the exact same thing, would receive.  Furthermore, if virtual money in some of these worlds is worth more than the money in some of the world’s more prominent countries, then no one would shut down this type of organization.  (This also says something about how pathetic some of the economies are, if virtual money is worth more.)

However, there is a big difference between what normally happens and what should happen.  If these virtual worlds are destroying relationships, causing people to become more violent, adding to weight problems and hindering people from doing well in their jobs or schools, then a change needs to be made.  No matter what the monetary rewards, if an activity is damaging emotionally, intellectually or physically it should be stopped-not monitored or cut back-but stopped.

While this could possibly be comparing apples and oranges, take other things which have regulations, like drugs.  These substances hinder people emotionally, intellectually and physically and they are therefore removed (as much as possible) from society.  The drug market has a huge, and profitable economy, and it was still regulated.  Thus emerges the question: Can something that technically isn’t real be regulated?  Would the government spend its time creating rules and regulations for something non-tangible?

Virtual societies are still a confusing topic for most people.  In a sense, these online worlds could encourage a further decline in real life social interactions among our already digitally crazed communities.  But virtual societies are an interesting phenomenon if studied closely.

We’ve all heard the stories of online world players being sucked into their games and devoting all of their free time (and even work time!) to progressing through the digital scenario.  This obsession has become so extreme in some cases that it disrupts not only the natural flow of the person’s day-to-day routines but also the people around them.  These virtual players are more a part of their online communities than the real world.  Food and sleep are the only elements of actual life that these gamers continue to resort back to in our actual human environment.  Otherwise, they have no use for reality.

It is interesting to note that virtual worlds compress human behavior by stripping away offline interactions and focusing on the core elements deemed important to its participants.  Virtual societies are not concerned with the day-to-day stresses of actual life.  Some may see these digital places as an escape from reality.  While online communities used to be seen as purely recreational, they are now being considered normal.  They are becoming ingrained into social situations outside of simple games by entering the corporate and educational realms.  Virtual classrooms and office meetings can now be found in virtual environments, allowing participants in any time zone and from any location.

We used to have the mindset of “I’m going to sit down and go on the Internet” during the 90s.  Today, the Internet is connected and always changing even when we may not be sitting in front of a screen.  This is now the case with virtual societies.  These are worlds that continue to progress no matter which players are online or not.  Nothing stops the progression just like in the real world.

By studying people’s habits, actions, and reactions to virtual societies, we can learn about basic human behavior.  It allows us to take away the burdens of our actual lives and see what truly motivates individuals.  Maybe we can learn a thing or two about ourselves from digital communities?  Or maybe virtual societies will become the only reality of the future.  Only time will tell.

Prior to discussing the many issues tied to virtual worlds, I posed some questions about the relevance of these virtual worlds to the professional world of the future. While it’s interesting to speculate the potential pros that virtual worlds have to offer the workplaces of tomorrow, I think an even more pressing issue is the impact of virtual worlds on our present society. Programs such as SecondLife failed to revolutionize the interactive entertainment industry to the degree that many predicted. Still, these virtual worlds have had an undeniable impact on a significant number of lives.

I keep returning to the video clip we watched in class, in which a mother and her teenage son were featured in a “virtual world addiction” spotlight. The teenage son admitted to playing World of Warcraft up to 16 hours a day (16 hours?!) Virtual gaming addiction is a harsh reality among virtual world participants. This isolated anecdote certainly reflects an issue that affects a larger population, and highlights many underlying issues surrounding the realm of virtual worlds. Initially, you want to write off this addicted teen as an isolated member of society, as he spends the entirety of his day sitting in front of the computer screen. He is even so engulfed in his alternative world that he fails to raise his eyes from the screen throughout the entirety of the interview. Every sign points to an isolated member of society. Yet, when asked about this point, he says he doesn’t feel like he is missing out on life because his virtual world allows him to “explore new places” and “meet new people.” Touché. Along with the prevalence of “exploration” and “friending” within social networks, is our society slowly moving towards a preference of online, virtual interaction? To play devil’s advocate, maybe those who choose to spend the majority of their lives within their virtual worlds are really no different than those who have never touched a video game or computer in their lives.

It’s issues such as this that bring me back to a point Derek made in class: we have to look at these issues beyond what we see on the surface, in order to recognize that they are much more complex than we may think. On the surface, video game addicts are easily labeled as “lazy” or “anti-social” or “geeks.” But perhaps the constant interaction with other players around the world, and the exploration of new (virtual) places makes these participants even less isolated than the truly isolated members of society who practice no form of social interaction whatsoever. Regardless, the level of engagement of virtual worlds, though still difficult for me to relate to, could point to a very real form of human interaction.

I have never really been that into video games. I’m not very good. We had a nintendo when I was a kid but that was well after more up to date models had come out. I liked duck hunt and super mario brothers but I don’t think it ever got in the way of running around the house or outside. I played Sonic the hedgehog on the computer and donkey kong at a friends house. Other games that I remember playing are Oregon Trail and mathblasters.

Now the only video games that I am good at are ones of the wii. I’m the demographic that those type of consuls are trying to reach. I have never gotten the hang of the 3d games where you have to look in the direction that you are walking. I have not really practiced but then again I dont really feel the need. I have movies, and books, and other activities to occupy my time. That being said I do know a lot of people that love video games and I can see why. Its just not my thing.

I think that the video we watched was really sad. The problem is China was not completely new to me because I have seen some news reports that say that the amount of gaming that being consumed by male young adults is actually having an effect on the culture. Men are living with their parents longer and dating less. I remember hearing that they were worried that there would be a decrease in population for the next generation due to this cultural shift.

I am glad that those kids have the opportunity to go to those schools although it seemed like some of them probably needed a longer stay than 2 weeks.